The present invention relates, generally to glasses and, more specifically, to a flat pack glasses kit.
Proximal: situated close to the user.
Distal: situated distant or away from the user (relative to Proximal).
It is known in the art to provide glasses that are easily carried for emergency use. A multiplicity of compact, foldable and collapsible glasses are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,225,857, 5,896,185, 6,017,119, 6,158,860 and 6,379,003.
Referring to U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,317 to Huang on Sep. 5, 1995, entitled xe2x80x9cCombination of foldable glasses and rigid compact container,xe2x80x9d there are disclosed collapsible glasses and a small rectangular carrying case. Referring to U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,967 to Conner on Jul. 27, 1999, entitled xe2x80x9cCombination glasses and glass case,xe2x80x9d there is disclosed narrow, compact glasses having collapsible ear-pieces, contained in a tubular case, similar to a pen with a pocket clip.
Referring to U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,347 to R. Vogel on Nov. 5, 1968, there is disclosed a pocket magnifier including a pocket pouch adapted to be carried in the pocket, purse or wallet of the user. The lens is formed of a transparent plastic sheet material having a substantial degree of stiffness and having Fresnel lens contours molded into its upper surface.
Referring now to U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,430 to Finkelstein et al. on Jan. 23, 2001, entitled xe2x80x9cMethod for making a wallet card with an integral magnifying lens,xe2x80x9d there is disclosed a wallet card adapted for use in reading, including a transparent, substantially non-foldable semi-rigid base. The semi-rigid base includes a Fresnel magnifying lens.
Referring also to U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,372 to Waters on May 21, 2002, entitled xe2x80x9cCards with reading lenses,xe2x80x9d there is disclosed a reading card including one or more Fresnel reading lenses smaller in size than the card. The card is the size of a typical credit card such that it can fit into a sleeve or holder used for such cards in wallets, and the like. The lenses, which are essentially for reading, are fitted into the card so that there is additional space for placement of, for example, numbers, name and a magnetic strip as in credit, debit, and phone cards.
The reading cards and pocket magnifiers disclosed by Waters, Finkelstein and Vogel hereinabove, are generally functional as hand held devices, essentially for reading and not for use as glasses to be worn by the user. While the foldable glasses disclosed by Huang are very compact and portable, inevitably the lenses will be narrow and appear best suited for reading.
There is a need in the art for lightweight, robust, very flat and compact emergency glasses, which can be used as sunglasses or in accordance with the prescription of the user, to replace damaged or lost glasses, rapidly and conveniently, especially under circumstances in which replacement is problematic.
The present invention aims to provide an emergency, flat pack, glasses kit, which is easily and quickly assemblable into glasses. The kit is compact and typically has the size of a credit card, and may thus be carried in a pocket, wallet or purse. Various types of lenses having a variety of purposes may be fitted or formed in the kit, including prescription lenses to suit the user for general use or for reading, sun-protection or safety lenses.
There is thus provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a flat pack optical device kit, which includes: one or more lens frames, each having an optical lens disposed therein and each having one or more frame attachment means formed on the frame; one or more support arms, each having, formed at a first extremity thereof, an arm attachment means for attaching the one or more support arms to the one or more lens frames and each having an ear holder element formed at a second extremity thereof; and apparatus for supporting the one or more lens frames, and the one or more support arms in a planar arrangement, wherein the one or more lens frames and the one or more support arms are adapted for selectable disassembly from the planar arrangement, and for cooperative assembly so as to form the optical device.
According to a first embodiment of the present invention, the flat pack optical device kit also includes a nosepiece bridge having one or more bridge attachment means for joining the one or more lens frames thereto.
According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the one or more support arms include: one or more hinge members, each having a first and second extremity and a hinge element formed in a predetermined position therebetween, the first and second extremities having, respectively, a first and second hinge attachment means formed thereat, the first hinge attachment means for attaching the hinge member to the one or more frame attachment means; and one or more earpiece members, each having an earpiece attachment means formed at a first extremity thereof for attaching the one or more earpiece members to the second hinge attachment means, and each having an ear holder element formed at a second extremity thereof.
According to a third embodiment of the present invention, the one or more lens frames have an optical lens formed or fitted therein.
According to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the one or more optical lenses are a Fresnel-type lenses.
According to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, the flat pack optical device kit is formed in a planar arrangement.
According to a variation of the fifth embodiment of the present invention, the planar arrangement includes the one or more lens frames, the one or more support arms and the supporting apparatus formed as a frangibly attached arrangement for selectable disassembly from the planar arrangement, and for cooperative assembly so as to form the optical device.
According to another variation of the fifth embodiment of the present invention, the planar arrangement is formed as a substantially credit card sized arrangement.
Furthermore, there is provided a method of construction of an optical device from a flat pack optical device kit, which includes the steps of: separating each of the components from the flat pack optical device kit; attaching each lens frame to a nosepiece bridge; attaching a hinge member to each lens frame; flexing a hinge element of each hinge member; and attaching an earpiece member to each hinge member.